Right after David Blaine's TV special on Nov. 29 Channel 10 Eyewitness news in Miami interviewed 82-year old Dale Thorpe claiming to be the "Original Ice Man." During the interview which was conducted while Thorpe was lying in a coffin made of ice he said "...Windward Beach, 1934, Kansas City, that's when I first started into this business [of being encased in ice]." Doug Dunbar reported "...over 50 years ago. Thorpe made $500 a week on a vaudeville tour, lying for hours sometimes days inside an ice coffin wearing far less then Blaine's black pants, shirt and knit hat." They showed many photos to verify that Thorp actually did this while Thorpe explained that what he did 50+ years ago was much more difficult.(12/11)

The Washington Post ran a poem with David Blaine as a recurring theme. The piece ends with: "There's a lesson in this tale, howe'er, so hear me clear and plain: No country can be sound and strong without a David Blaine." To read the Dec. 10 poem/rhyme by Gene Weingarten titled "The Ballot Of David Blaine" click: HERE.(12/11)

It seems that Houdini is suspected of haunting the home where Marilyn Manson was recording his new album. The musicians in the band explain that they heard sounds, bumped into ghosts, and heard a swarm of bees in the kitchen. To read the Dec. 9 UK News story titled "Manson's studio is haunted" click: HERE.(12/11)

John Carney, Harry Monti, Jody Baran & Kathleen, Loren C. Michaels, Lincoln Bond, James Holguin, and Stoil Stoilov appearing at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, on Dec. 11-17.(12/11)

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Ricky Jay wrote a feature article titled "The Story of Dice: Gambling and death from ancient Egypt to Los Angeles" which appears in the Dec. 11 issue of the New Yorker. The six page story chronicles the life of dice through the ages and the earliest references to them being used for cheating. Jay quotes Plato, "God invented dice," and then he focuses on several other possible scenarios of how dice came into existence and some of the more memorable wagers which were made on a roll of the dice. Jay also mentions the various types of false dice and some of their uses. The story concludes with the fate of Jay's vast collection of dice which have now deteriorated due to the unstable substance which was used to make them.(12/12)

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Anthony Blake and María Jiménez have begun a weekly magic show in Spain. The shows will take place every Thursday at 11pm at the Teatro Arlequin (San Bernardo 8) at the fashionable Gran Vi area in Madrid. The first show took place on Nov. 30. Plans are to have guest magicians every week with four performers doing the stage show in the 200-seat theater and two close-up magicians entertaining behind the bar during the intermission. Anthony Blake who also serves as the host is an outstanding mentalist who is just as amazing in English and Spanish. His wife María Jiménez is a successful agent with many show-biz contacts -- using their talents they should be able to make this endeavor a success.(12/13)

"A Magic Day" is a 15-minute radio show featuring Hugh Levinson taking you on tour of Davenport's magic shop in London. It is scheduled to air on Friday Dec. 15 on BBC Radio 4 FM at 3:45pm.(12/13)

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Teller is interviewed in a Seattle Times story which leads into a Penn & Teller engagement at the Moore Theater this week. Describing what they do Teller said, "The bottom line is that it's theater... We don't draw a magic audience...Magic shows are not very smart, not very funny. They may be impressive, but they're usually empty." Teller was also doing a book signing at Borders Books & Music in downtown Seattle on Wednesday where they were promoting his newly released "When I'm Dead, All This Will Be Yours." To read the Dec. 13 story by Carol Pucci titled "Teller speaks(!) about duo's sort-of-magic act" click: HERE.(12/14)

New York magician Carl Mercurio is prominently pictured performing magic in a Nov. 13 New York Times story titled "Public Relations Groups Give While Gathering."  The story on page B4 of their Metro section does not identify him in the story or the photo caption.(12/14)

Aaron Radatz performs parts of his stage show on Dec. 17 as a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the Dearborn High School Theater in Dearborn, MI. For tickets and information phone: 313-278-0228. For more information about Aaron Radatz click: HERE.(12/14)

Kelvin Y.S. Chun who won first place in the stage competition at the PCAM 2000 convention was recently named on the USA Today 2000 All Teacher Team making him "...one of its 24 outstanding teachers in the nation." He was also 1999 Disney's American Teacher Awards Honoree. To read the Oct. 12 Honolulu Advertiser story titled "Isle tech teacher recognized nationally" click: HERE.(12/14)

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"Jarrett and Raja’s Classical Magic" which appeared in New York City last year will begin a limited engagement at the Regent Las Vegas on Dec. 16 where it is scheduled to run through mid-January. The show stars Jarrett Parker and classical pianist Raja Rahman who combine their talents to produce "...a treat for the eyes and the ears spiced with biting repartee as the two virtuosos vie for the spotlight." Shows are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm at the Addison Room in the Regent Las Vegas (Rampart Drive in Summerlin). For tickets and information phone: 877-869-8777.(12/15)

David Copperfield's "Unknown Dimension" show in Seattle is previewed in The Spokesman-Review. The story lists several of the new routines Copperfield has added to his new show. Copperfield is also quoted about the new endings he has begun to use in his magic and the reasons behind them, "Resolution -- the tidy ending -- is the tradition in magic... Someone disappears, he reappears. The ambiguity in contemporary film and literature had been missing from magic. It's time for magic's postmodern period." To read the Dec. 14 preview by  Jim Kershner titled "Do you believe in magic? David Copperfield will try to convince you with his act" click: HERE.(12/15)

PRESS RELEASE: ABBOTT'S MAGIC GET-TOGETHER HIGHLIGHTS VIDEOS AVAILABLE AGAIN.

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Houdini, Martinka & Co., and Flosso-Hornmann Magic are featured on the cover of the Dec. 15 Wall Street Journal. In an article by Rachel Emma Silverman titled "The Old Magic Store Is No More, Not the One Houdini Used to Run" she gave the history of the "Oldest Magic Supply House in America" and it's recent purchase by Ted Bogusta from it's longtime owner Jackie Flosso. Tannen's owner Tony Spina is quoted, "It's a very nostalgic place. I wish I had bought it." Bogusta explained how his purchase of the business came about, "I was visiting the store and I asked him what was going to happen to the company, what sort of plans he had for it to continue. The [asset sale] grew out of that conversation." Also discussed are Bogusta's plans for the future of the company. The story can be purchased from the Wall Street Journal website.(12/16)
--For an original MagicTimes story about the sale click: HERE.

David Copperfield's new magic is described in the Salt Lake Tribune where we are told Copperfield, "...promises to cut himself in half with a laser, create an illusion in which the entire audience participates and shrink himself down to 12 inches. The master illusionist will cap off the evening by making 13 audience members disappear." We also find out his plans for his next TV show -- now scheduled for April, "Copperfield plans to walk through a tornado of fire in NewYork City for television." To read the Dec. 15 article by Jesus Lopez, Jr. titled "The Comings and Goings of David Copperfield" click: HERE.(12/16)

Magic on Ice starring Steve Wheeler is described in a Malay Mail review as, "...a spectacular production combining the elegance and beauty of world class figure skating, the mystifying world of grand illusions, and the unique artistic innovations of performing arts, currently held at the Genting Highlands." To read the Dec. 15 story titled "Cool magic" supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(12/16)

David Copperfield's "Unknown Dimension"  show is previewed in a Seattle Times story. One of his new routines is explained as "'Test Conditions,' Copperfield leaves the stage and actress Whoopi Goldberg appears. Performed under brightly lit lab conditions, the act occurs on a stage that has been stripped of smoke, mirrors and trap doors and is inspected by an audience member." To read the Dec. 15 story by Carol Pucci titled "Believing in the magic" click: HERE.(12/16)

Penn & Teller's show is reviewed in the Post-Intelligencer as having "...found a way to create genuine magic through theatrical mayhem." There is also a description of the various routines they performed. To read the Dec. 14 article by Erik Derr titled "Magic brings out holiday spirit: Penn & Teller's theatrical mayhem connects and makes the show work" click: HERE.(12/16)

"Bradley Fields' 10 magic fingers moved so quickly that many students in the Shenendehowa Central School District were positively mystified," is how a Times Union story described Fields who "...tries to stimulate creative thinking and problem solving,"  during his shows. To read the Dec. 13 story titled "Kids' love for math magically multiplies" supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(12/16)

Nathan Thomas and his ventriloquism and magic shows are featured in a Star Beacon article explains, "My shows are not just entertainment... I always try to have a message or moral." To read the Dec. 15 story by Pamela E. Gran titled "Local ventriloquist, magician to perform" click: HERE.(12/16)

INDIA: The Academy of Magical Sciences in India will hold "Vismayam 2000" a magic convention held at  Trivandrum (capital city of Kerala) in South India on Dec. 23-25. Headlining are Fukai & Kamika. For more information e-mail: ssreekanth999@usa.net.(12/16)

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Marc Salem's Mind Games which was a big hit Off-Broadway in NYC and which Clive Barns in the New York Post called "Fabulous! Miraculous! Brilliantly Entertaining!" has just been booked for a long run in Detroit. The show will run from Feb. 14 to Jul. 30 at the intimate Century Theatre (333 Madison Ave.) in Detroit. Tickets are already on sale for the eight shows per week run with prices ranging from $24.50 - $36.50 per person. For tickets phone: 313-963-9800 or click: HERE.(12/17)

Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee had to use a boat to leave their house on the Thames River due to the flooding and high water levels caused by the torrential rain in the past few weeks. To read the Dec. 16 Guardian article titled "Wet spell - Magician caught by new floods" click: HERE.(12/17)

Paul Zenon performs at Angel Eye in Scotland on Sunday Dec. 17. An Evening News article described him as "A veteran of gigs all over the world, Zenon was once described as 'a cheeky chappy northern stand-up trapped in a magician's body.' And his 1999 Christmas special was Channel Four's highest rating entertainment show last year." To read the Dec. 15 article titled "Magic Zenon brings laughs without being fluffy" supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(12/17)

Danny Alan, Chris McDaniel, Simon Lovell, Todd Robbins, Bob Dennis, Michael Chaut, and Jamy Ian Swiss appear at Monday Night Magic on Dec. 18 at 8pm in NYC. For tickets call Ticketmaster at: 212-307-4100.(12/17)

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